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bengresik's review against another edition
3.0
I originally picked up this book on impulse while I was killing time before work. I wasn't really expecting much, just another Douglas Coupland novel filled with dry humor and Generation X references about. When I began to read though, I became entrapped in the stories of the two main characters, Roger and Bethany, as they conferred their wisdom upon each other about their lives through the exchange of a journal.
I'm sure there are some people who would get tired of Coupland's apparent obsession with writing books about people whose lives come apart in every way at a moments notice, but there's something refreshing about reading a novel where the characters don't have it all together and that's ok. That's the thing that I enjoyed most about reading this book, and the thing I enjoy most about Coupland in general.
On an somewhat unrelated note, after reading this book I began to exchange a journal with a friend in a manner simmilar to this book and found it to be a very interesting experience.
I'm sure there are some people who would get tired of Coupland's apparent obsession with writing books about people whose lives come apart in every way at a moments notice, but there's something refreshing about reading a novel where the characters don't have it all together and that's ok. That's the thing that I enjoyed most about reading this book, and the thing I enjoy most about Coupland in general.
On an somewhat unrelated note, after reading this book I began to exchange a journal with a friend in a manner simmilar to this book and found it to be a very interesting experience.
jeffmauch's review against another edition
2.0
This novel was just interesting enough to keep turning the pages, but just barely. I gave this one a shot because I had read another Coupland novel and saw promise in his writing, but now I'm starting to think he's just a very average writer. It's not that he doesn't do things well, he does, specifically when it comes to trying to show the internal ruminations of his characters, but that's not enough. In this novel we are really given 2-3 main characters and a handful of vague supporting ones. The problem here is that none of the characters are all that likeable and you're left shaking your head at their thoughts and actions. At first I thought Staples would actually be a good setting for a novel of disillusionment, but it's not as prominent a setting as I had hoped for. Our main character is an everyday loser in his 40s whose live had fallen so far off track that he's just a walking pile of sadness, but the catch is he has found hope through a book he has started to write. The problem is the book is horrible, as we the reader get to read it in between chapters of the main story. The problem is it's treated as wonderful by the other characters in the main story line... which just makes us, the reader, shake our head. The more I write this review the more disdain I'm finding for this book and it's characters, honestly I'm wondering what good I found in this book at all.
routergirl's review against another edition
I've enjoyed other books by Douglas Coupland, but never in that enthralling lost-in-a-book way. So I didn't have huge expectations for this, although I was intrigued by the story.
The main character is an older (40's) guy working at Staples. He's working at Staples due to several bumps in the road he's encountered in his life - and through the book you learn more about those events, though never enough that you feel you know or care about Roger. One of the first entries we read is from the point of view of a 20-ish Goth girl, Bethany, who also works at Staples. She finds this, and rather than getting creeped out or upset about it, starts writing him back.
The premise sounded promising, and I really hoped this would be the one Coupland novel that would really impress me...but it just didn't.
As others have said - the characters I found almost completely unlikable. Yes, Roger has experienced some tragedies, yes Bethany is a bit lost in the world, but man, I just didn't care. There wasn't anything that resonated with me. I should be easy enough to reach, I've experienced many of the same things these characters have. But their retelling of events is just so...dry and emotionless. The other thing is that they're not individuals. They all seem to speak the same language, and the language is Coupland's - not Roger's, not Bethany's. It felt at times like I was at a party, and the most boring person in the world had cornered me to tell me the story of their life, only with all exciting details left out. There were many times I wanted to just put it down, and honestly I can't tell you why I didn't. Maybe because I hear so often how Coupland is "a terrific author" or because I *did* enjoy Microserfs, and I kept thinking it would somehow redeem itself.
At one stage we're thrust into Roger's novel, which is about the saddest couple in the world. Gloria and Steve drink like fish, their kitchen contains nothing but a pancake mix (inhabited by weevils) and numerous bottles of booze, and yet they've invited guests over for dinner. Although I disliked Gloria and Steve, I actually enjoyed this novel within a novel more than hearing about Bethany and Roger. They were at least intriguing - did they have a child? How DID they survive without food? I also enjoyed the writing more - like when Gloria was getting annoyed by the sound of the doorbell not ringing. I have to say, though, the saddest thing about this couple is that they were trapped in The Gum Thief.
And how on earth does a video of a girl stealing gum from a Staples become viral? Did anyone else skip the toast papers entirely? Did anyone else find themselves hearing about Joan and Zoe and thinking, "Who cares?!" It felt a bit like Coupland doesn't care if he engages with his reader. Unlike some authors, who will even go so far as to address things to their audience, Coupland is on the far end of the spectrum, seemingly saying "I don't care if you like this or not. I'm writing it down, damn it."
I would have given this 2.5 stars if goodreads would allow it, but I had to give it three, if only for Gloria and Steve. I'm not sure Coupland is for me, honestly. Another reviewer said that one always knows what they'll get with a Coupland novel, and I suppose I should have figured that out by now. I'll be a lot less likely to pick up any more books by him after this mess, though.
The main character is an older (40's) guy working at Staples. He's working at Staples due to several bumps in the road he's encountered in his life - and through the book you learn more about those events, though never enough that you feel you know or care about Roger. One of the first entries we read is from the point of view of a 20-ish Goth girl, Bethany, who also works at Staples. She finds this, and rather than getting creeped out or upset about it, starts writing him back.
The premise sounded promising, and I really hoped this would be the one Coupland novel that would really impress me...but it just didn't.
As others have said - the characters I found almost completely unlikable. Yes, Roger has experienced some tragedies, yes Bethany is a bit lost in the world, but man, I just didn't care. There wasn't anything that resonated with me. I should be easy enough to reach, I've experienced many of the same things these characters have. But their retelling of events is just so...dry and emotionless. The other thing is that they're not individuals. They all seem to speak the same language, and the language is Coupland's - not Roger's, not Bethany's. It felt at times like I was at a party, and the most boring person in the world had cornered me to tell me the story of their life, only with all exciting details left out. There were many times I wanted to just put it down, and honestly I can't tell you why I didn't. Maybe because I hear so often how Coupland is "a terrific author" or because I *did* enjoy Microserfs, and I kept thinking it would somehow redeem itself.
At one stage we're thrust into Roger's novel, which is about the saddest couple in the world. Gloria and Steve drink like fish, their kitchen contains nothing but a pancake mix (inhabited by weevils) and numerous bottles of booze, and yet they've invited guests over for dinner. Although I disliked Gloria and Steve, I actually enjoyed this novel within a novel more than hearing about Bethany and Roger. They were at least intriguing - did they have a child? How DID they survive without food? I also enjoyed the writing more - like when Gloria was getting annoyed by the sound of the doorbell not ringing. I have to say, though, the saddest thing about this couple is that they were trapped in The Gum Thief.
And how on earth does a video of a girl stealing gum from a Staples become viral? Did anyone else skip the toast papers entirely? Did anyone else find themselves hearing about Joan and Zoe and thinking, "Who cares?!" It felt a bit like Coupland doesn't care if he engages with his reader. Unlike some authors, who will even go so far as to address things to their audience, Coupland is on the far end of the spectrum, seemingly saying "I don't care if you like this or not. I'm writing it down, damn it."
I would have given this 2.5 stars if goodreads would allow it, but I had to give it three, if only for Gloria and Steve. I'm not sure Coupland is for me, honestly. Another reviewer said that one always knows what they'll get with a Coupland novel, and I suppose I should have figured that out by now. I'll be a lot less likely to pick up any more books by him after this mess, though.
emjay24's review against another edition
1.0
I got 52% of the way through this, goodreads tells me. This book is about two people who work at staples. one is a 40 something year old guy, old for his age, and one is a 20 something year old woman. they both feel they're in a loser job and write back and forth in a shared diary, while at the same time, the man also writes his novel in there too. at some point, the girl's mom, who the guy went to highschool with, starts contributing letters to the diary too. the people are depressing. it sounds like a typical indie movie, the way they talk, the way nothing happens, the way it's so gloomy and 'intellectual'. it sounds like it's trying and trying..i realized this from the first, but kept reading, thinking maybe itll change. at 52% of the book through, i thought hey, WHY am i reading this? i dont like the characters, i DONT CARE what happens to them, and also since this is one of those indie type books, i'm pretty sure even if i DID care, it's not going to come to any sort of real resolution. these things always just end randomly. so i decided to end it randomly first. i have so many other books to read. dont read this.
nssutton's review against another edition
4.0
liked it better than jpod AND eleanor rigby. no girlfriend in a coma or microserfs though.
saidtheraina's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like there should be a fanfare as I finish this book after almost two years of reading it. [a:Coupland|1886|Douglas Coupland|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1264509011p2/1886.jpg] is one of my favorite authors and has been ever since I was assigned to read him at the Oregon Extension my junior year of college. And I did keep reading this in between all my library books.
This is a quiet story. The story of a couple of employees at a Staples. One of them is writing a book about some college professors. It's all kinds of depressing, but at the same time, it's soothing in its suburban angst. It's nice for me to know that there are people out there with this perspective who still like to write about it. Not sure if that makes any sense. But yes. Good book. Even better author.
This is a quiet story. The story of a couple of employees at a Staples. One of them is writing a book about some college professors. It's all kinds of depressing, but at the same time, it's soothing in its suburban angst. It's nice for me to know that there are people out there with this perspective who still like to write about it. Not sure if that makes any sense. But yes. Good book. Even better author.
theoglibrarianmom's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book so much. I didn't want it to end. Also they way that grief is written about is so spot on. Earned its place on my desert island bookshelf.
moirastone's review against another edition
3.0
As I've said before, I have very little distance from Douglas Coupland as a writer. I imprinted on him as a young reader and there's nothing to be done. That said, this was a minor (but true) pleasure.
dave_white's review against another edition
4.0
A style could be a bit tiring, but it had it's moments.
sadiereadsagain's review
2.0
Not my favourite Coupland book...but then I started out with Generation X and Girlfriend in a Coma so it was going to take something special to top those. This, whilst being totally readable and peppered with the spot-on observations of modern life that Coupland makes so well, is not that special.